Tick & alpha-gal guides, by topic
Tools, short answers and longer reads, filed by what you need: what to do after a bite, how to tell the ticks apart, alpha-gal, prevention, pets and yards, and the outdoors.
After a Bite
Tool
Tick bite tool
Remove the tick step by step, log the bite on your device, and get a symptom timeline counted from that day.
Tool
Printable tick bite plan
One page: how to remove a tick, what not to do, and when to call a doctor.
Guide
Lone Star Tick Bite: What to Know and Do
What does a Lone Star tick bite look like, and what should you do? Learn how to remove the tick, clean the bite, watch for symptoms, and when to get care.
Guide
Tick Bite Aftercare
Tick bite aftercare made simple: clean the area, save the tick, note the date, watch for symptoms, and know when to call a doctor. Not medical advice.
Article · 4 min read
How to Safely Remove a Tick (Without Making It Worse)
Step-by-step instructions for removing an attached tick with fine-tipped tweezers, plus what to avoid and how to care for the bite area.
Identification
Tool
Identify a tick
Narrow it down by size, markings, leg colour and where you found it.
Tool
Tick species field guide
Photos, range and diseases for 8 common ticks that bite people and pets in the US.
Guide
What Does a Lone Star Tick Look Like?
What does a Lone Star tick look like? The adult female has a single white dot on a reddish-brown body. Learn its size, color, and markings at each stage.
Guide
Lone Star Tick vs. Deer Tick
Lone Star tick vs deer tick: how to tell them apart by size, color, and markings, and why it matters for alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease awareness.
Alpha-Gal
Tool
Alpha-gal syndrome
The red meat allergy linked to Lone Star tick bites: symptoms, triggers and tests.
Guide
Alpha-Gal Syndrome Symptoms
Alpha-gal symptoms often start hours after eating mammal meat. They can include hives, stomach upset, swelling, and rarely anaphylaxis. Learn when to get care.
Guide
Can a Tick Bite Cause a Meat Allergy?
Can a tick bite cause a meat allergy? Learn how Lone Star tick bites are linked to alpha-gal syndrome, a delayed red meat allergy, and what to do next.
Article · 7 min read
Living With Alpha-Gal: A Beginner's Guide to Hidden Triggers
An educational overview of foods, medications, and household products that may contain alpha-gal, plus questions to ask your allergist.
Diseases
Tool
Tick-borne diseases
Symptoms, how soon they start, and which tick carries each illness.
Guide
Diseases Linked to the Lone Star Tick
The Lone Star tick is linked to more than alpha-gal syndrome: ehrlichiosis, STARI, and, rarely, Heartland virus, Bourbon virus, and tularemia.
Guide
Heartland and Bourbon Virus
Heartland and Bourbon viruses are rare illnesses linked to Lone Star tick bites, with no specific antiviral treatment. Learn the symptoms and prevention.
Prevention
Tool
Prevention guide
Repellents, treated clothing, and the tick check that catches nymphs.
Article · 6 min read
Permethrin Clothing Treatment: A Beginner's Guide
Permethrin is one of the most effective tick deterrents. It is applied to clothing, not skin. Here's how it works, how to apply it, and safety basics.
Article · 7 min read
Best EPA-Registered Tick Repellents: DEET, Picaridin, and OLE
Compare the most effective EPA-registered tick repellents (DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus), including how to choose for kids and pets.
Pets & Yard
Guide
Ticks on Dogs: Prevention and Removal
How to protect dogs from ticks: prevention your vet recommends, where to check, and how to remove a tick safely. Educational guidance. Ask your vet.
Guide
How to Tick-Proof Your Yard
How to make your yard less friendly to ticks: mow often, clear leaf litter, add barriers, and give wildlife fewer places to shelter. Practical yard tips.
Outdoor Activities
Guide
Tick Safety for Hikers
Tick safety for hikers: repellent, permethrin-treated clothing, trail habits, and tick checks after your hike to cut bites on the trail.
Guide
Tick Safety for Hunters
Tick safety for hunters, who face high exposure: permethrin-treated gear, repellent, care when field-dressing, and full tick checks to lower the risk.
Article · 5 min read
Family Camping Tick Safety Checklist
A practical family camping checklist for tick prevention: what to pack, daily routines at camp, and how to check kids for ticks.
Article · 4 min read
Why Golfers Should Care About Lone Star Ticks
Roughs and tree lines on golf courses are prime tick habitat. Here's a simple round-of-golf prevention routine that takes 60 seconds.
Maps & Seasons
Tool
Lone Star tick map
Where the tick is found, state by state and county by county.
Tool
Every state
Each state's CDC county count, peak season and county pages.
Guide
Where Do Lone Star Ticks Live?
Where do Lone Star ticks live? They're established across the southeastern and eastern US and spreading north. Learn the range, habitats, and how to check.
Guide
Tick Season by State
When is tick season? Lone Star ticks are most active from spring through fall, with longer seasons in warmer states. See peak months by state.